Universal traffic motor control



May 1927' c. BEVAN ET AL UNIVERSAL TRAFFIC MQTOR CONTROL Filed April 22 1926 &- 4 R r: J

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE L. BEVAN AND JESSE R. CULLEN, OF PLATTEVILLE, WISCONSIN.

UNIVERSAL TRAFFIC MOTOR CONTROL.

Application filed April 22, 1926. Serial No. 103,989.

The object of our invention is to provide a novel universal trafiic motor control, com bining a starter, ignition system, foot rest, accelerator and lock in one compact unit and which can be controlled from one position only. We attain these and other objeets of our invention by the device illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through our invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of our device.

Like characters designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we provide a casing 1 having an encircling flange 2 provided with spaced apertures 35 to facilitate mounting the device. We provide an upright guide tube 3 having its threaded end mounted in the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 1. Slidably mounted in guide tube 3 is a throttle rod 4, the bottom end of which leads to the rod controlling the amount of gas at the carburetor. We provide a hollow plunger 5 slidably mounted in easing 1 and slidably engaging over the upper end of guide tube 3. We provide a suitable groove 38 in plunger 5, the groove being long enough so that all operations are made within its length. Plunger 5 is provided with a longitudinal bore or chamber 6, the end 10 of this chamber being spaced from the upper end or top 12 of throttle rod 4 and normally leaving the space 11, as shown in Fig. 1. Mounted on the upper end of plunger 5 is a coiled spring 8, one end of which engages the end 10 of chan nel 6 of plunger 5. while the other end engages the upper end 9 of guide tube 3.

We provide a. lug 13 on plunger 5, adapted to be engaged by the end of the bell crank switch plate 14, which is operatively mounted on the yoke 15, which is carried by a screw 16 engaging insulation 36. lVe provide the contact blades 17 with which the knife blade of the bell crank switch 14 is engageable. An ignition lead wire 18 is electrically connected with the contact mem bers 17. as shown in Fig. 1. A suitable spring 19, attached to the end of hell crank switch 14 and to the inside of easing 1 holds the switch in contact with lug 13 during apredetermined extent of movement of that member. We provide a. starter button 20 operatively connected with a suitable starter switch 21, which is electrically connected with the electric wires 22.

We provide a slidable extension rod 23, having a vertical extension 24, the right angularly bent end 25 of which contacts with the surface of lug 26 on plunger 5, as shown in Fig. 1. lVe further provide a vertical plunger 28, having a suitable button head 30 and carrying a pair of spaced lugs 37, having slanting slots 27, into which the projections or pins 27 on rod 23 extend. We further provide a suitable spring 29 attached to the lugs 37 and to the top of easing 1, to normallyhold the plunger 28 in rest position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, we provide a Yale or other conventional lock 31, having a lock bolt 32, engageable with the projection 33 on the lower end of plunger 5. We also provide a stop lug 26 on plunger 5, engageablc with the end 25 of the L-shaped extension 24 of extensionrod 23, as shown in Fi s. 1 and 2. Plunger 5 is motor control. lo start the automobile, the foot of the operator is placed on the head 7 of plunger 5 and the plunger is pressed down. lVhen it has gone one-quarter of an inch, it causes ignition switch 14 to close or seat between the contact members 17, and start ignition, also making contact with the accelerator 4, at 10. When the plunger 5 is pushed down, the stop pin 26, which it carries, strikes the extension end of rod 23 and at the same time makes contact with the starter switch at 20 when tube 5 is pushed down, the bottom of top 7 presses on member 20, making a connection in switch 21. To engage the starter switch 21, head 30 of rod 28 must be pressed down, in order to cause extension rod 23 to withdraw from engagement with the pin 26 on plunger 5. This supplies ignition, gasoline, and operates the starter at the same time with a single pedal.

lVhen the car motor starts, by releasing the plunger 5 to its second position the camlike lug 26 strikes extension end 25 and keeps the ignition on and also the gas. The acceleration is made between plunger 5 and throttie rod 4 until it is desired to stop the motor. To stop the motor, pressure on head 30, by rod 28, with the foot releases rod 23 and extension end 25 of extension 24 from engagement with in 26 on plunger 5, and plunger 5 and re 4 are released. When plunger 5 reaches its uppermost position,

the lug 13 opens the bell crank switch 14 ing a car. Or stopping on a hill. the driver can hold the brake with both hands and start the car by actuating the clutch and pressing on the heads 7 and 30 and actuate rod 23.

Mounted on casing 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, we also provide a foot rest 39, which is adjustably supported by the threaded rod 40, the threading of the rod permitting of adjusting it for the heightdesired for the user.

'hat we claim is:

. l. A universal trattic motor control. comprising a casing, a hollow plunger slidably mounted in the casing, a throttle rod having its upper end spaced from but engageable by the plunger rod when the latter is operated. an ignition switch operatively connected with the plunger rod, automatic means for holding the plunger in operative position after it has been operated, a plunger operated device operatively connected with Said means for withdrawing same from engagement with the plunger, and a foot rest.

2. In a universal trallic motor control, the combination of a casing, a hollow plunger slidablv mounted in the casing, a throttle rod having its upper end spaced from but engagcable by the plunger rod when the latter is operated, resilient means normally holding the plunger in operative position, an ignition switch operatively connected with the plunger rod. means for holding the .plunger continuously in operative position after it has been operated, and manually operative means for releasing the plunger from operative position at will.

3. In combination with the mechanism described in claim 2. a foot-operated lock arranged in operative relation to a stop lock on the plunger to lock same in inoperative position.

4. A universal traliic motor control device comprising a casing, means for operating the ignition system, means for operating the throttle, means for operating the starter, and

6. A universal l'i'aflic motor control comprising means for operating the ignition, means for operating the starter, means for operating the throttle, and a common manually controlled actuating member operatively connected with all of the aforesaid means for simultaneously controlling them from a single manually controlled member.

7. In combination with the device dc scribed in claim 6, a second manually controlled device for locking the aforesaid mechanism in operative position by releasably engaging the stop lock on the common manually controlled actuating member, and for manually releasing it from operative position at will.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, a hollow actuating plunger slidably mounted in said casing, said plunger having a plurality of lugs, a bell crank switch operatively connected with one of the lugs, an ignition system with which the bell crank switch is arranged to electrically connect when the plunger is operated, a throttle rod positioned in spaced relation to the plunger and adapted to be actuated by it, and a starter mechanism arranged to be actuated by the plunger.

9. In combination with the apparatus described in claim 8. a horizontally mounted rod having an L-shaped extension adapted to engage the plunger and hold same in operative position, a vertically slidable rod having a slanting slotted extension member, a pin in the horizontal rod engaging in the aforesaid slotted extension, and a spring normally holding the device in an operative position whereby manual operation of the plunger will disengage the L-shaped extension from engagement with the plunger that actuates the ignition system starter and throttle to release same from its operative position to stop the car by the simultaneous operation of the ignition switch and throttle rod.

JESSE R. CUIJLEN. CLARENCE L. BEVAN. 

